Poker Face!
by FreeWeirdGal
Summary: Everyone has secrets, but some are worse than others. Kamichika Rio may seem like a normal girl to those around her, but the truth is that she has a dark secret of her own. A story that involves monsters, shadows, gangs, informants...Well the normal life in Ikeburouro for one teenager who is more than what she seems. Rated M for language and violence.
1. Introduction- Two Psychopaths Meet

**FWG: If I owned Durarara! I wouldn't need to be writing this...**

**Rio: Then why don't we just buy out the right's to the series, it can't be that hard.**

**FWG: Because I'm broke**

**Rio: Then steal enough money**

**FWG:Sorry, but unlike you I'm your definition of an everyday school girl.**

* * *

I sat in my assigned chair, barely listening to the speech my new principal was giving. Just two days ago I had gotten absolute proof of something I only considered a mild possibility. Ever since I became Kamichika Rio, I had always thought something was off. Maybe it was because I was living in Ikebukuro a district in Tokyo, Japan rather than the Las Vegas, Nevada a city in the superpower county known as the USA.

In my first life I had been know as a genius with eidetic memory, famous for identifying card counters in the casino's that employed my dad. My skill was rather useful, it was cheaper than an face recognition software and could catch the first time cheaters who weren't yet in the database. Of course my dad took all of the money and spent it on useless things, the only thing I ever had to my name was a super computer I built from junk pieces he had gotten me on my birthdays and Christmas.

Although it looked like a big pile of trash, I could hack into about every single top secret file within any government, without being traced. That was the power of rerouting your IRL through several major and illegal casino's systems, then as long as you encoded your browser to match the main mafia's in town, the FBI think they get hacked by drug dealers, not a 10 year old girl. The power of human delusions, I learned to use that to my advantaged long ago.

Ah...But I've seem to lost my train of thought, I tend to do that sometimes.

Well, in my second life as Kamichika Rio I still had my perfect memory and my genius ability. But Rio existed before I did, she lived the life of a normal girl that is, until she decided to chase a stray cat out into the middle of an intersection. The poor five year old didn't know what hit her, and she probably never will. Perhaps it was the story of the unfortunate girl, that first clued me into the possibility.

I first heard the story when I checked into the accident for the first time, online of course, hoping to find some clue as to why I was in a Japanese kid's body.

You see, it all started when a particular request was asked of headless rider, or Celty if you prefer. The female had to gain evidence that a particular member of a certain company was leaking information to it's rivals. After she got the evidence she had to deliver straight to the boss of the company. It was more of a job for a detective then the courier, but it had a fairly decent pay and wasn't illegal in any way, so Celty accepted the offer.

Getting the evidence needed was easy enough for the headless woman, but she was caught before she made it back to the safety of her bike, (horse) Shooter. And so a high speed chase concord. Celty on Shooter and the corrupted business man in a car, going way past the speed limit.

It was at this moment that Rio found an stray cat with a broken paw. I later discovered that this poor feline got in the way of a fight between the strongest man in Ikebukuro, Heiwajima Shizuo, and his archival Orihara Izaya.

Being the kind girl that Rio was she decided to take the animal to the vet. The cat was unfortunately scared out of the girls arms when it heard Shooter's neigh and ran straight for the road which Celty was traveling on. It didn't register on Rio's mind that she could be hit by a car, when she followed the cat.

Celty saw the two in the middle of the road first, served to avoid the girl and grabbed the cat as she slowed down when turning back to face Rio. By this time the headless fairy's pursuer had turned the corner and in his blind panic attack only saw the courier. Rio gave Celty a confused look before turning to look at the on-coming headlights, successfully freezing to a still. Celty instructed her 'shadow' to form a shield for the child as fast as she could, but the process was only half complete when the car hit Rio.

Rio was in a coma for a week, but when she finally did open her eyes it wasn't Kamichika Rio in the hospital. It was me in Rio's body. I refer to everything before the accident as to what 'Kamichika Rio' did, everything afterwards is simply me as 'Rio', and everything I've done in my original body is what I did as 'myself'. I've long since stopped using my old name, Rio doesn't have any connections to that sort of person, so it'd be weird if she suddenly showed interest in her, right?

I decided as soon as I realized what my position was, that I was going to 'act out' Kamichika Rio's life as far as I could. It was the least I owed the girl, after all she was either dead and resting in the other world or stuck in my body. Personally I don't know which is worse, considering my history and everything.

I didn't get off track again, did I? Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, whose going to judge my thoughts anyway.

It all started quite a while back, it was when I found an unmarked letter in the mailbox. When I opened it I saw various pictures, consisting of Rio's or rather my dad with an another woman. He was having an affair. My first dad was the type who go out with five different women at the same time, while still being marred. The same for my mother, the two lived separately because of it. So personally I didn't see it as that big of a deal, but 'Kamichika Rio' would.

And I knew she would have.

I choose to stuff the letter into the back desk drawer, and forget about it.

I spent most of my time going through different forums on different web sights, on a normal computer this time. Rio would never have the brains to build a supercomputer, let alone use one. I got close to one person in particular called Nakura, the name remained me of Naraku from Inuyasha, and was the only person I had ever told about the letter full of pictures.

Whenever I talked to him, I talked as how 'Rio' would of talked, in order to get a better idea of what she would do. If it were me, I would of blackmailed my dad into getting me something (money), after all he would hate it if an affair came out. But if I blackmailed him, there was a high chance it would tear the family apart, and since that was the last thing 'Kamichika Rio' would want, I decided against it.

That and I loved the dinner that my mom made, the sweetness was just right for me. I don't know what I would do if I could never eat them again.

After six months of keeping it a secret, I decided to show my mother the pictures. I dropped the unmarked envelope into the mailbox early in the mourning, before piking a spot behind a corner where I could watch her get the mail. After I was sure that she had the evidence of an affair, I made my way to school.

Nothing's changed, I thought with small dissatisfaction. Did mom not speak with dad concerning the matter? Maybe it doesn't matter to her, she just loves him to much to care. No not likely, she's probably is just concerned how I would react to such a matter. I've read stories where kids have committed suicide because their parents got separated. In fact in my old life I was the cause for several of those instances.

I excused myself from dinner earlier, told them that a friend was going through a tough patch and needed me to be ready a moments call.

They believed my story, and acted concerned over a friend that didn't exist.

Nakura said the strangest thing that night, 'Let's disappear together.' I was conflicted, 'Kamichika Rio' would certainly feel like ending her life right now- but she wouldn't mean it. After a few hours of debating, I came to the conclusion that I would meet up with him, but I wouldn't jump with him. I wasn't suicidal, and I never will be, life was too much fun for me. If I could I wish I could never die, that way I could continue on, watching history for all of time.

As I walked around the night of Ikebukuro, a strange feeling overcame me. A feeling akin to De-ga-vu. I had a perfect memory, and this situation that I was in... I felt like I knew the ending. But something like that couldn't be true, I refused to believe the truth of it.

A guy came up to me, claiming to be Nakura, but I knew he wasn't. Their personalities were completely different. I didn't want to follow him, I knew the dangers of it. But 'Kamichika Rio' would, even if she knew this guy was not Nakura, she would follow him. Simply because she 'wanted to die'.

But I didn't want to die, and I had absolutely no intention of doing so. "Nakura-san, can I tell you something?" I asked- stopping the man who was not Nakura in his tracks. "What is it?" He asked a fake smile on his face. Is he a host, I asked myself, he certainly has the looks and personality to be one.

"Um...You see the truth is," I felt a blush coming to my face it would make me more like her, "That I...Um... "

"The truth is what-" He turned to face me. "I just wanted to know what Nakura's real name was!" No, that wasn't what I wanted to say. "I think it's better for us both if we just remain anonymous. Don't you?" and just like that the conversation came to a close.

I could tell, the fake had absolutely no interest in me. I was just another person to him. Just another human. Another stranger. Not even worth a proper name, and as such I didn't deserve his.

I let my mind wander as I followed him into an alley. Not realizing exactly what was going on until I felt the cloth cover my moth. This sent... Chloroform. Then the world went black.

* * *

I regained my consciousness, just as the trunk door was being opened. Looking up I saw a woman in a black rider's suit, and a yellow fox shaped helmet. The headless rider. As she undid the rope that bond my arms and legs, the strange feeling from before came back.

I knew where my memory of this scene came from before, I thought as I removed my gag. I thought so before too, but there was no proof concerning the matter. Not only that, but if I was right then everything I know about the world would very well be false.

Then again, I'm living the life of someone else- someone who I never met- so who was I to say that this is real and this is false. It is something predetermined by humans anyways, otherwise we'd never feel safe. It's kinda sad actually.

'You okay,' the rider held up her phone for me to see. "Yeah," my voice was practically unautoible, "Thank you for saving me." I gave a stiff bow of my head. 'Don't be. I was asked to get you and take you to a certain place.' It's the same, I felt my eyes widen in... Disbelief?

"But you're truly a kind person, right?" I asked looking straight into her helmet. There was a pause, as if Celty didn't know what to say. "This isn't the first time you've saved me," I said before the courier could deny anything. "That time, if you didn't interfere, I would've died." I paused for a breath, "I was completely unrelated to you job at that time. Instead of ignoring me and continuing on, you stopped and..."

I didn't know what she did really, I never could find out. "You saved my life, at that time, you saved the cat's life too. That's why I feel like I should thank you." I bowed again, this time I was out of the car. 'You're... From that time?' I nodded silently.

'That, little girl chasing after a cat into traffic.' I nodded ounce again. 'You've really grown up haven't you?' I was at loss of words at this point. Here I was talking to a legend, a living legend. Well, I shouldn't be too shocked, after all I was a legend back then too.

"Can I request a favor?" I asked following her to Shooter. 'Sure, what is it?' She replayed quickly. "I just wanted to know if your really are headless.' I said well-aware that if it was 'Kamichika Rio', she would never ask such a question. Rio would just follow along silently, accepting the norm- accepting the average, traditional human life.

I could never accept it- the norm that is. It's not that I found it to be boring or anything- in fact I found normal life quite entertaining and fun, in others. A normal life just didn't suit me, I guess, it felt wrong. I always felt better -or safer- when I was walking that fine line in-between. Where if I made one mistake that was the end.

In reality, that's the real reason why I act as would 'Kamichika Rio' would act. Not to keep some part of the girl alive. I profiled 'Kamichika Rio' and made that profile larger as I grew, purely for the sport of it. Too see how long I could act as an average girl at everything.

Someone not too pretty, but not ugly. Someone who's friends were more of acquaintances than anything else. Someone who passes her classes, but never gets 100%. Someone who only knew jappense. Someone who was fairly weak. Someone perfectly average, not one to stand out but not one be invisible. Just someone who blends with the crowd- just another human out there.

That was who 'Kamichika Rio' was and who I made myself out to be. The game was simple, all I had to do was be Rio until I became an adult. High school graduation, that was the finish line. If I made a slip up in my facade, I lost and the punishment depended on how big the mistake was. If I could last till the end, I was free to do whatever I pleased. I'm such a cruel person, right?

I take my enjoyment from walking the line between life and death. It's how I live. Watching or spying on people to figure out there motives, hopes, and dreams was just a hobby of mine. I knew it was a completely sick hobby, but I couldn't help it. Humans were just so interesting, so controversial, so hypocritical, and above all so much fun to mess with.

'Promise not to scream,' Celty showed me her phone and I made an imaginary 'X'. "Cross my heart. "Cross my heart and hope to die," I said the familiar English phrase in Japanese , it sounded off somehow. I ignored the feeling, Celt slid the vizor of her helmet up, so I could look inside.

There wasn't anything in there, nothing at all. Just the black smoke... Now I feel like I'm in 'Lost', I sighed. "Thank you." I bowed again, knowing what a big deal it was for. It wasn't that important to me, solely because I already knew. I mean currently, I was living as 'Kamichika Rio' a character from 'Durarara!', a popular series back home.

Rio gets manipulated into suicide, kidnapped, and saved from kidnapers by Orihara Izaya in the anime. In the light novels she ounce again gets kidnapped by the human loving human. Although smart, she truly is average in every sense. If my fate is to get kidnapped again by continuing this act of mine, should I continue it knowing that?

I kept my mind busy with this thought as the courier took me to the informant. 'There's someone waiting for you up on the roof.' Celty told her, when we reached the abandoned building. I just nodded, this is like a dream meeting one of my favorite characters, Orihara Izaya. "I understand, and thank you again," I bowed gracelessly.

'My job ends here.' I gave her a nod before turning around to enter the building. Faintly I could hear Celty and Shooter leaving.

BB from Death Note, Hisoka from HunterxHunter, Kamui from Gintama, Kenpachi from Bleach, all of the Akatsuki members from Naruto, Kaito KID from Detective Conan, Kaito Dark from DN Angel, as well as Orihara Izaya from Durarara were my favorite anime characters ever. What does that say about me, though?

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to the roof, then I slowly walked down the stairs, one step in front of the other. A shiver ran down my spine as the wind blew, it was cold up here. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I continued walking towards the edge of the roof.

"Magenta-san," Izaya's voice made me flinch, and I turned to where the sound came from. It's time to test my knowledge, I thought. I already proved that Celty was a headless fairy, that much was the same. But that doesn't necessarily mean that some of the other things will be true as well. The anime, the manga, and the light novels all told the same story but in a different way. And those changes were only minor ones...

Izaya stepped out of the shadows, he looked exactly like the anime portrayed him as. Sleek dark hair, pale skin, and fur trimmed jacket. "Hi, I'm Nakura." Next I'm supposed to say, "Are you really Nakura-san?" in a concerned voice. I raised my right hand over my chest, in a childish but defensive way.

"I'm the guy who wants to disappear without a trace," Izaya said a smirk on his face. It wasn't his usual full blown out- ear to ear- smirk, it was more of an acting smirk. Like he was trying to hide his amusement, like he didn't want me know just what type of person he really was. He was probably thinking, 'Just a little more until.. Just a little more until I can see her face with that expression.' The smirk he had was one when all of his plans are almost complete, and he knows it.

I know it too, because I'm the same as Izaya, except I'm a better actor than he is. I had to be in order to be the completely average 'Kamichika Rio' for over 10 years. I can mask my expressions into something I'm not feeling, and he can't. Well, other than that we both have the insane interest with humans and their reactions. We even would admit to it when asked.

I gave him a relived expression and stepped forward, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you also the person who arranged to save me?" I didn't have to profile Rio to say the right lines at the right time, but the practice helps to make my words seem more genuine. Though I'm more concerned with my actions, Rio is not one to show confidence easily after all. Well not until after this night.

"Yes, that was also me." The only thing that moved was his mouth. I silently wondered if I was like this before I became Rio, but now I'm never going to find out. "Thank you so much." I bowed, am I making a habit of thanking characters I ounce believed to be fictional. "Were you afraid?" I didn't even need to see his face to know that his smirk was growing.

"Yes," I answered, my voice was just above a whisper, and gave one slow nod of my head. "It must of been a terrible experience." I looked straight at him, but I wasn't really seeing him. If I were to really look at him, I would probably start acting like myself again. Izaya had that effect on people. "Yeah...

"But how did you know I was kidnapped?" I moved my head to the side, conveying my confusion. "Because I'm the one who told them to kidnap you." I raised my head to really look at him, "Uh," this was it. "And I'm also the one who told the biker to rescue you." He raised his opened hand and laid it on his chest, in reference to himself. "What do you mean?" I felt sweat on my cheek but made no move to remove it.

"You were thinking about dieing, but you got kidnapped." He started walking toward me, rolling his hands around like a teacher does when explaining things to a child. I moved out of the way, and allowed him to pass without incident. "And you were a little mad at yourself for being frightened. But if you happened to resist, that would mean you'd be going against you're earlier intentions to die, so you were also thinking about accepting it as destiny."

Izaya raised his hands, but showed no signs of stopping anytime soon, "But now that you've been saved, you're very much relieved. I just wanted to see your face which holds all of those thoughts and emotions." He turned to look at me, and I made sure I had my best surprised face on. "Basically, I wanted to see your face when your at a loss for words after you realized that I saw right through you."

He closed his eyes and looked to the roof's floor in contemned. Well, he would be right if I were 'Kamichika Rio and not me as 'Rio', but should I spoil it for him or not? If I spoil it, then I would lose the game of acting like I'm average. If I continue to act as Rio then I have to jump off the roof, there's no guaranty that Celty is going to save me. But I could act in the shadows, and make Izaya sweat at an unknown threat. That would be fun too.

I guess I'll just mix the best of them together, how brilliant.

"Why.." I purposelessly left the question hanging. " 'Why' "? Well... I think the answer will sound very philosophical to you. And if I were to explain me actions, it would be because I like humans. Humans are so appealing and interesting. I just can't help myself." I had to keep a blank poker face, in order not to smile at his words. Ounce, long time ago I said nearly the same thing to my old partner.

"Oh, and just because I like humans, it doesn't mean I like you personally. Thats important to note." Unlike how Rio blush at this statement in the anime, I remained unfazed purely because I understood the feeling. "If you did... I would find it creepy," I said instead. My voice itself was barely autoible, but I was sure he heard. "Were they... all lies?" I asked, forced tears to my eyes.

Everything depends on this performance of mine. If I can fool Izaya, in daylight I'll remain the average ' Kamichika Rio', but after dusk I'll return to my roots and show my true co lours. However if Izaya sees something suspicious in me, I'll come clean and do everything in the open for him to see. Well either way, I'll want to become closer with the other characters. Ah... I can't wait.

"Have you finally come to understand the situation you're in right now?" He said, his face right next to mine. A small blush appeared on my face when I realized, he's way to close. This didn't go unnoticed by Izaya, I could tell from the gaps in between my fingers that hid my face from his view.

I took a step back as he took two forward, "Come here," He garbed my top hand and pulled me towards the edge of the roof. He climbed to the other side of the guard rail and motioned me to follow. And I did silently. I looked down to see the splat of blood, on the cement below. "A few people have leaped from here before. I wouldn't call it a popular location for suicide, but I've heard you'll die for sure if you jump off from here. Take a look at that stain down there."

I took a small step forward and leaned over, knowing that if I slipped Izaya would grab me, if only to throw it in my face later. "Hey... Do you think yourself as someone special?" If I wasn't then I wouldn't be here right now, my silent answer. "That's not true, by the way. We're all the same."

He turned to walk on the ledge, I noticed the perfect balance- from running away from Shizuo, I guessed. "There's not a single person on earth who can live an honest life. You've got a few secrets too, don't you?" I cracked a half smile at that, he had no idea how big my 'little' secret is getting. But I returned my expression to one Rio would have at the moment, fear and silent wonder. "Ever thought why your parents are so good-for-nothing compared to you?"

He raised a finger like a point was made, "That's..." my voice conveyed everything I wanted it to. It was the perfect imitation of 'Kamichika Rio'. "If you allow me to give you a conclusion to your situation..." He paused to here my answer and when I remained silent he continued on like normal.

"I feel as though everyone else who has had an affair or found out about one," He started walking back towards me again, "kept living their lives as they laughed at lame jokes and ate food that had a seasoning that was too sweet." His face was right next to mine again, I blushed, he must love intruding in on others privacy. Though I can't say I'm much different.

When I recognized that he was talking about my mother I prepared to slap him, but he was ready for it just like I knew he would be. The failed attempt, led to me slipping and falling. I silent scream escaped my lips, before Izaya grabbed the hand I tried to slap him with. Successfully holding me off the roof at an angle, if he lets go I'm dead unless Celty is down there.

"Take a look," He said coldly. Yes, I thought as the familiar feeling of excitement rushed throughout my body, how I've missed this feeling. One mistake and I earn myself a fate worse than death, the though sent shivers down my spine. I felt the smile of my true character replace Rio's frown, my signature smile.

It wasn't one of Izaya's mocking smirks, but it was just as big. A smile from ear to ear, truly a crazed smile. I had to hold back my laughter from escaping my throat, if it did Izaya would know that something was 'wrong' with his plans. The smile was okay because he could never see it, nobody would, well except for Celty...

"No matter what worries they had, they're all just bloodstains on concrete now." I wearily registered his voice. I wonder if I put a trampoline down there and jump, would I bounce back up or just fall through? No, it wouldn't work the last time I tried that experiment my test-runner was put into a coma. Nobody excepted the job after that, humans never take chances. They should learn to live a little.

"No matter who they were," Oh, I know if I make the person slide down a waterside to get to the trampoline, they should live with minimal injuries too. "everyone went back to the divine creator as equals." After I get the okay from a reliable test-runner, I can open it for any sundials, telling them 'it's the fun way to die' and secretly watch them as they have their lives flash before their eyes. Only for them to turn out alive with some injuries.

"Want me to let you go?" Ah... But I don't have all the money that I used to, and it would take quite a lot to make it... Hmm... In that case I'll just post the plans on the internet anomalously, and hope someone else is crazy like me. As I felt Izaya pull me up, I made my face into Rio's scarred mask.

With my free hand I tugged on his jacket and barred my face into his chest. My face red at the proximity, but it was apart of the script and it was camouflaged for my silently laughter at my previous stupidity. I mean although acting as Rio was hard at first, but by now it's second nature to me. I need to step up this game and it's stakes to make it worth wild. "See?"

He pushed me off of him and turned to face the guard rails."Well, I'm glad," He jumped over them with ease, "that I got to see your unsightly feelings today."He made his fingers like a gun and fired a fake shot at me. "What I'm really interested in is the ecology of your worrying, not your actual worries."

I already knew that much, I though staring at him. He made it up the stairs fairly quickly and yelled back at me, "And if I might add, you were awfully boring because all of your actions were according to my plan. And I knew you didn't want to die either. Well, later!"

He opened the door, "It's been fun, Magenta-san." And he closed it. But I didn't let my average 'Kamichika Rio' face fall, because I knew that he was watching from somewhere. I slowly turned to face the edge, away from where ever Izaya was watching and to the guard rail. " I'm glad too, Orihara Izaya-san." my voice that akin to a whisper, you could hear the smile in the tone though, "For two things.

"First, you made me realize that if I really want to live on the edge, I have to take more risks." I paused before stepping closer to the edge, "What I'm doing right now is nowhere near enough, there's no thrill in it anymore." Be ready for me to show you my true self, because next time we meet I wont use 'Kamichika Rio' as guise. I seriously can't wait.

"Secondly, and this one is not so important to me as to her maybe," I said taking a step back, "You saw me as 'Kamichika Rio'. The plain average- ordinary human- 'Kamichika Rio'. If you saw me instead, me as 'Rio'. It would ruin the past 11 years of my life trying to be her. She lasted eleven years longer than she would have, but no matter what happens I probably won't continue to rely on the thought process of a dead girl," Now for my decision, I thought, to jump or not to jump.

Everything matters on whether Celty is down there or not. Do I really want to risk my life on such a chance? Everything matters on what type of impression Celty got off of me. My head tells me that she wouldn't consider me for suicide, and left for Shina's apartment. But there's this other part of me that say stick to the script... Hmm. What to do, what to do?

It didn't take long for me to make my decision, in the end I scratched out both of the feelings above and just went with what I wanted to do. "Make my gamble and place bet. The stakes the highest they can get." I sang the tune in English instead of Japanese, because it was meant for English. Any other language would be an insult. "Good-bye Kamichika Rio-chan," I switched back to Japanese, "and Hello me!"

Thats when I took the biggest gamble of my life, it was also the biggest thrill. I jumped off the building, the sheer excitement of it was amazing, I made the mental note to try bungee jumping sometime soon. The image of Izaya smirking for a moment filled my mind. But it was replaced when I saw the black shadows. Ah... So she's still here after all, looks like I win this one- Rio.

Celty's shadows had me in a net, before slowly lowering me to the ground. The woman walked toward me, in an even pace. 'Why?' She held out her cell phone for me to read. "Eh... What?" I asked confused, wasn't Rio suppose to ask Celty that when she tried to leave. Why is she asking me. 'Why did you jump?' Ah... So that's it, she didn't think I was the type of person to jump off a building of my own free will. After-all I showed her a peek of the real me, not the average Rio facade I always had on.

"I wanted to prove it," I said simply as I scratched the back of my head. 'Prove what?' Wow, she types really fast on that thing- almost as fast as I do. "That you're really a kind person, of course." I said with a childish smirk, "The fact that you waited here to make sure I came out okay and that you put in the effort to save me only proves it."

I silently wondered what Izaya thinks of this scene, I better leave before he gets in hearing range. "Now you can't deny it. Right?" The dullahan nodded at my statement, and I started to walk past her. "Oh... And Courier-san," I asked turning to face her. She gave me a sign to go ahead, "Can you not tell Nakura-san about this conversation. I'd rather have the pleasure of seeing him bored with my predictability, than..."

I left the sentence as an hanging, so she could determine what Izaya would do herself. 'Don't worry about,' She replayed after an eerie silence, during which I saw a shiver go down her spine. I left the alley-way with the blood stain from a suicide and Celty soon followed behind on Shooter.

* * *

So I, Kamichika Rio, am currently living out the life of an anime character who I ounce believed fictional. Though I'm smart enough to know that this is reality and I have to treat it as such. Of course because of Izaya's interference I've decided that playing the part of average Rio-chan would be too boring for someone in this town. So I have decided to mix things up a bit, just to keep everyone on their toes. I mean who likes a predictable ending?

Well first things first, get to know the characters, my eyes slid to the only character from the anime that had my homeroom. "I'm Kida Masomi! I may look like an adult, but I'm just a fragile and vulnerable on the inside as any other fifteen-year old." He said in a tone only he could say. "I'm Kamichika Rio, I hope we can get along," I said cheerfully, I finished off with a closed eyed smile.

* * *

**FWG: Good? Bad? Somewhere in-between? Please tell me by clicking the magical button below**


	2. Chapter 1- Meeting the Characters

**FWG: If owned anything Rio wouldn't have been such a wuss in the serries and Izaya wouldn't be an antagianist.**

* * *

When class was done with I approached I approached him, "Um... Kida-san?" He turned to face me, the ever present smile. "Hmm... What do my eyes deceive me? A pretty girl has come up to me... Could it be a confession?" He said in overdramatic way- with overdramatic movements.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but don't you think it's a little early for that?" I said in a mischievous manner. "Ahh, but then why have you made your way to my desk in such a manner?" Kida waved his finger in front of my face. "Everyone else in our class have already established their friends for the year." I said simply.

"Trying to force myself into such friendships is going to be more trouble than it's worth, so I decided to pick the person who seemed the most distant from everyone else. That person just happened to be you," I stuck a finger at him. "Me?" He pointed at himself, I nodded. "You sure about that? I mean everyone was..."

"You've made the position of class clown yours. And although everyone is going to remember you, and you'll be included in their outer friendship circle. You'll never be their top pick, number one, best friend. You know what I mean?" I explained to him. "Ah... Kinda?" I decided to take this as a yes, after all the Kida in the anime that his only real friends at school were Anri and Mikado.

"I mean that although everyone knows your name, that they don't know you. And seeing how not many people have said anything about your middle school days. Most likely something was happening that made you inapproachable, am I right Kida-san?" But he didn't need to say anything, even if I didn't know the truth from the anime, the fact that he suddenly froze was more than enough, to know that I hit a bull's eye.

"Don't worry I won't pry." I said waving my hand, "In fact, just recently you could say I've been given a wakeup call as well." Which is exactly why I'm talking to you. "I'm not stupid or naive enough to believe that I can make it through the year without friends. I'd just become the target for bullies. So..."

By this point Kida had gotten the point of my speech, "Partners in Crime?" I asked raising my hand from my side. "Friends, for now." He confirmed my hand shake, before jumping out of his seat, I silently followed behind him. He didn't ask why I was following him, and I didn't ask why we were in the neighboring class.

Inside the classroom was a stuttering Mikado and an oblivious Anri. Both of them didn't realize that their classroom had two extra students in it.

Mikado was as plain as I imagined him to be, he blended with the crowd perfectly. If I didn't know for a fact that he was the only remaining founder of the Dollars, I probably would only get close to him because of his interesting name.

Anri, however, stood out. Her eyes were cross in between red and brown, skin paler than most of the students, and a body figure most teenage girls and some adult woman would kill for. Add to her shy and introverted personality, she was probably a pedophile magnet. It's really easy to imagine the Pedo-snake from Naruto trying kidnapped her, only to become a child of Sakia. Haha, how funny.

"I underestimated you." Kida said to him after Anri ran away- poor Mikado! I made myself considerable on the desk closest to the door. Sitting with my legs crossed and leaning back on my arms. I looked over to Kida just as he finished drawing the pink heart around Mikado's and Anri's name.

"I can't believe you'd proactively pursue a lovey-dovey rendezvous and try to hunt a girl down when, in elementary school, you'd burst into tears when people spread rumors about you and your childhood friend." Mikado has a childhood friend over then Kida, I thought to myself, or were the rumors about Kida and Mikado. No, no Kida has a girlfriend and Mikado has a crush on Anri so that's not it. But, I wonder who those rumors were about. Ahh... I'll just ask later.

"Yeah, yeah," Mikado stated softly though I bet he really meant 'Just get on with it' or something like that. Well, that's what it sounded like. "But your still naive," Kida pointed the chalk at Mikado, "Just because you came to Tokyo doesn't mean that your life will turn into a feel-good romantic comedy." You would know that the best Kida, he drew a line through the heart.

I gave Mikado a sideways glance, even a kid could tell he was uneasy. "I think you went to far, Kida-san." I said making Mikado flinch in surprise, as he had been so far unaware of my presence, "What if he takes your words seriously and never gets a girlfriend." Kida who knew I was in the room the entire time turned away from the chalkboard to face me and Mikado, "Ah, if that's the case then we'll just have to force him out with someone, ne."

"Huh... What...Who...When?" Mikado pointed at me in his Mikado way- not finding his shock. "I don't know how to answer the first one. But my name's Kamichika Rio, fifth-teen years old, apart of the neighboring class, a freshman at Raria Academy, and Kida-sans new-found friend. And for your information I've been since before Anri-san left- Mikado-san."

"Ah! How do you know my name?" Ah... He makes the funniest expressions I've seen in such a long time. "Um... Kida-san put a heart around Anri-san's and Mikado-san's names." I deadpanned. "On that note... Let's go pick up girls!" Kida said happily.

"You do know that I classify as a girl... Right?" I asked as I jumped down from the desk, my pom-pom styled hair swishing against my skin as I landed. "Oh, but you see, if we have a girl with us, others might relax and fall into our group!" Kida said proudly. "So I'm bait," I said passing Mikado and stepping into the hall.

Kida just gave a nod as he hummed a tune to himself and pulled Mikado along. "Just great," I mumbled slightly bored. At least I'll get to meet some of the other characters, I thought in the back of my mind. Silently leading one ex-gang leader and his best friend who happened to be the founder of his own separate gang.

* * *

I stood next to Mikado, as Kida and all of his over-dreaminess tried to pick up three high school girls. I think they were the first one's in our age bracket that the playboy has talked to all day. All of the other women were mostly house wives, workers, or collage graduates'. What I found amazing though, is that Kida used a different pick-up line with every new batch of females.

But with his attitude, they might as well of been the same. I thought indifferent to the manner.

I looked over to Mikado, as he stared intently at the group now talking about Yumi's (a friend of theirs) new boyfriend a supposed member of the Dollars. It's finally sinking into him, I thought with a smirk on my face, the Reality of just what he started. "Don't you think they're exaggerating just a bit," I asked him gaining his attention. "What?"

"I think it's pretty obvious, but everyone else already has their minds and hearts set." I answered offhandedly, but confusion still lingered on the boy's face. "I mean that, they have the wrong intrepatcion on the whole 'Dollars' thing." I made the quotation marks with my hands when I said Dollars.

"The whole gang runs off a website, right?" He nodded, somewhat unsure of himself. "Then why would you think that every member is a violent delinquent? " I shook my head in simmering anger. "I mean, for all we know, 'The Dollars' could just be a small club of people at school- who just spread their existent on the net to become famous."

I turned back to face Kida and the three females, "Just because you don't see something doesn't mean that you should fear it- thinking of the worst case scenario and labeling it as the truth." Their was a sour hint to my voice as I spoke, my past experiences were getting the better of me.

Anything can happen, at any time, but if you busy yourself with looking out for only one thing, you end up missing the entire truth. I thought of my old life, the friends, family, and enemies that I made. I completely overlooked the most obvious picture because I simply didn't want to believe it. And because of the naivety, I nearly got myself got myself killed- and most likely got Rio-chan killed in my place.

I guess that's why I'm so excepting about my situation. All of my beliefs and philosophies were utterly destroyed by the one of the few people I actually trusted. Re-chan was right; I thought hollowly, the world isn't so nice as that we would like to believe. But Celty was right in the anime too, the world isn't as cruel as people make it out. Both statements are true, but yet they contracted each other perfectly.

I turned back to Mikido, to see him looking at me strangely. "Did I something wrong, Mikido-san?" I asked with a finger on my chin. "N-noo-No, not at all, Kamichika-san." He stuttered. If one was just listening to his voice they would think that he was unnerved by what I ahd told him, but I could see his eyes. The eyes of someone who craved for adventure, a kindred spirit, but his dream of living a life that is not normal is a dark one. A dark and dangrous path, that's the path that Izaya is going to either force him on, or turn him away from.

I could save him, save him before he gets the rather rude wake up call, or at the verry least make the transition easier for the boy. So that his personality at least reminds intact. Yes, I could save, stop him from going down a path that is not ment for the currant him. It would really get under Izaya's skin, if someone besides him had a hold on one of his pawns. If I could talk Mikado into not trusting the Blue Squares founder, to confessing that he was the Dollars founder to Kida and Anri before Slasher Night.

Everything would change…. All of their reactions, it would be so much fun, but it's still not enough. Though if one person figures out my real personality without me wanting them to know, then I'll just come clean about the hole deal. Minus the fact that I come from a different dimonsion, of course.

* * *

**FWG: Please review XD**


	3. Chapter 2- Soda Bombs

**FWG: I own nothing**

* * *

We had parted with Kadota, Yumasaki, and Erica a while ago. Kadota's mysteries warning about the Dollars and all. He really is a good guy, even if he lets his friends torture people in the back of a white van, warning Mikado about how dangerous the gang is. Even though Kadota is a member and Mikado is the founder. It's funny how these things turn out.

Mikado looked so awkward whenever someone mentions how dangerous the Dollars are, it's hard to believe that Kida isn't noticing it. The two of us crossed an intersection, Kida was up ahead hitting on random girls, in silence. When we got to the other side my sixth sense kicked in, we were being followed. Normally I would turn around, causally, to see who it was, but I already knew. Izaya was stalking Mikado out, to establish some sort of relationship with him.

So I acted in ignorance to his presence. The three of us wandered around the streets of Ikebukuro for another thirty minutes, before Kida gave up on picking up a girl. Not that he really wanted one, it was just an excuse to spend time with Mikado. The fact that he got quiet when a group of Yellow Scarves passed by, proves it.

Kida was in the middle of giving Mikado another lecture about picking up girls when we passed by an alley. An alley that had Anri surrounded by some girls that go to our school, who I though were other Dollars members. Maybe they get attacked by the Slasher… Either way, they would work for one of the two in the near future if they didn't already. Isn't it funny how the world works.

"She's getting bullied. And in a totally cliché way." Kida whispered, he had no intents of intervening in this. The bullies said something threatening at least I think they did, my hearing sucked. Then the one man of the group pulled down his hood, a delinquent, I thought brushing the hair out of my face. "Man, this is so cliché that it's actually interesting." It wasn't like I planned on intervening either. Izaya was still watching us and even if he wasn't this scene was as Kida said interesting.

I tried not to look over to see what Mikado was thinking; his thoughts were always so transparent, focusing instead on the sight before me. I counted every possible thing that could be thrown and the safest way of escape. Cracks in the walls and ground that could be of use. How weak the fire escape on the building was. All of the tiniest details that I could see without turning my gaze from Anri and her attackers. My hearing sucked, but I had really good eyesight.

"She's getting bullied?" my body turned rigid when I heard his voice, Kida tensed at the sound of it as well. Mikado just froze, confused, I thought, he's never met Izaya before. Both Kida and Mikado turned around to look at him, but I couldn't. No it would be more accurate as to say I wouldn't because the real Rio would be unable to react. The last time I saw him was before I jumped off a building, only two nights ago.

"So, you plan on making them stop?" Like you care, your hobbies included talking girls off rooftops, drugging suicide girls, stomping on teenage girls cell phones, and so on. Quite a lot of those include girls, I wonder if Izaya has a fetish for them. It took everything in me not to laugh at them, Izaya into a girl. Ah, I feel sorry for that poor soul. Whoever she may be.

Still frozen when Izaya pulled Mikado past me. He looked down in my direction as they passed, an all-knowing smirk on his face. I stood up only when he was confronting the bullies. "You know him?" Kida asked me, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah," I looked to the ground avoiding eye contact, "How did you know?" An excuse to learn Izaya's name before he introduces himself to Mikado.

"You froze when you heard his voice," there was a pause, "and he looked right at you." Kida was still affected with his last encounter with Izaya, I wonder have I ever had that lasting effect on someone. Most likely, but nothing as complicated as the war staged between the Yellow Scarves and the Blue Squares. The gangsters in Los Vegas came to for jobs regularly, so I always left them alone. Unless you count all of those set ups…

"Two days ago," I supplied, "that was the first time I ever met him. I thought about what I would do if I ever saw him again," both of these are true, "I don't even know his name…" Lie, I've known his name for quite a while now. But they can't know that.

"And you've met him before too, right?" My voice wavered for just a second as I looked up to Kida. He looked very conflicted, run away, take Mikado and then run away, punch Izaya in the face, or if he should just beat him up.

"Yeah," Kida's voice was soft, "we've met." He's knows that he can't just leave Mikado with Izaya and that in a long-term fight he would lose. So he's just going to act all polite but thinking of ways to kill Izaya, or torture him. "His name is Orihara Izaya."

My head snapped back to Izaya's figure as he cut off the delinquent's hair with his knife. He's fast I thought, with a little training he become an assassin. That's what I did, my life had gotten to the point where manipulating people to their deaths had lost interest so I trained myself in order to kill them myself. Izaya won't learn though, too content with his currant style.

"The Orihara Izaya?" I asked gaping, "The informant, Orihara Izaya!" Kida didn't say a word, but I could see him nodding his head. It must have been pretty gruesome , if he's still imagining it, I thought turning away from the alley and Kida.

So far I've met with Mikado, Kida, Kadota, Yumasaki, Erica, Celty, and Izaya.

Anri is coming this way but with Shizuo starting up a fight, I won't have time to properly introduce myself. Though, that's probably a good thing. Saika might notice that I'm not a pure human, she would tell Anri and then Anri's going to tell Mikado. That would ruin most of my plans right there.

"Yeah, you're a good kid trying to save someone who's getting bullied," Izaya said rather pleasantly. Anri looked to Mikado, surprised that he wanted to save her. Mikado just blushed and looked down timidly. "Long time no see, Kida Masomi-kun." He looked to Kida as he addressed him and then turned to me, "And Kamichika Rio-chan, I didn't think we would see each other again so soon."

Mikado looked surprised to know that the person who helped save Anri knew both of us. Kida made eye contact with his best friend, while I studied the ground with newfound interest. I didn't confront him on how he knew my name, I already knew why anyways. "Yeah… hi," Kida gave me a glance, 'Just be nice'.

"Ah… Me too, I didn't think that we would ever see each other again. Izaya-san," two can play the name game, without lifting my head I looked up to see Izaya's expression. His smirk was downgraded, like the one he had on the last time we met, but it was still present.

It seems that I really did something unexpected, and I'm just getting started. Mikado turned back to Izaya, one of the people who he was supposed to avoid if he ever saw him.

"Those are Raira Academy uniforms, right?" He changed the topic, away from his past connections with Kida, and me "Congratulations on getting in." I lifted my head, turning to look at the three students on my left. That was the direction that Shizuo is going to come from, where he was going to throw a convenience store trashcan right at Izaya's head.

"Yeah, thank you very much." Kida turned into a very conservative person around Izaya, not wanting to create any conflict, "It's rare for you to be here in Ikebukuro, isn't it, Izaya-san?"

Kida's point being 'what are you doing here? Shizuo is going to kill you when he finds out', because Shizuo is going to find out that Izaya came to Ikebukuro eventually. It's just going to be a lot sooner than they expect, like in three minutes. That's when Izaya caught Mikado staring at him, it doesn't take much to figure out that one of us has mention the informant to Mikado. "Oh, he's just my friend!"

"I'm Orihara Izaya. Nice to meet you." He's a lot more pleasant with Mikado than he was to me, but then I was simply of something to do in his free time. Mikado is on a completely different level, but still he should treat all pawns with the exact same courtesy. I caught Anri giving me a weird look, as Mikado introduced himself. Could Saika really tell that I'm not 'human' with this much distance between us, or is it because she's just wants to know about my relationship with them?

I motioned her off to the side, and after hesitating she nodded and followed me. We moved a few feet away from the guys, so that I was leaning against the wall facing them. Anri stood next to me. "Sorry, but I needed an excuse to get away from Izaya-san. Hope you don't mind," I said first off aware that if they wanted to, it would be a simple thing overhear our conversation. "No! It's fine," Anri said in a way that made her look so gullible, "I-I should have left right away…"

"If you did, you would have regretted it," I told her as I dug around for spare change in my backpack, "Regretted that you didn't stay to say 'thank you'. But after that a conversation started up and you lost your chance to say 'good-bye, see you tomorrow' politely." Counting up the coins in my hand, I wanted to by a soda before Shizuo came. With his obsession with throwing objects in the street, the vending machines weren't safe.

Anri nodded at my statement confirming it, "I'm Kamichika Rio, by the way." Bowing slightly, not wanting to risk spilling the contents of my backpack all over the street. "Sonohara Anri," just two words can mean so much, a name, identification. They can't be changed so easily, but I did. I changed my real name into that of someone else and it was so easy.

Stuffing the coins in my pocket and zipping up my bag, "Want to get a soda? I have enough for two." Anri never got to answer me, because right then a trash can hit Izaya in the face. Sending the man flying a good ten feet. One thought echoed across the street, Shizuo's here. I saw some people-trying sneak away, avoiding the damage that was sure to come.

I sneaked to the vending machines that were right next to where Izaya landed, but everyone was so focused on the two physcopaths that they didn't notice me buying two drinks. Sliding one into my bag, I started shaking the other. I stood behind Izaya now a very Shizuo was approaching. It was very likely that if I messed up, I would be sent to the hospital. But the risk in it was what made it worth it.

"Shizu-chan," He actually seemed to be surprised to see his archrival here, "Don't you work over at the west entrance?" He managed to get his confidence back quickly then again he is Izaya. I set the can on the ground and started kicking from one foot to the other, this motion got Kida's attention. He motioned for me to get out of the way, but I acted like I didn't see him. I needed my fun after all.

"I got fired a long time ago. And I told you to stop calling me that. I have a name, and it's Heiwajima Shizuo!" Shizuo didn't seem to register my presence; he acted like the only one besides him here was Izaya. Mikado's face after Shizuo said that was priceless. He really should learn how to conceal his emotions better, if he ever wanted to be successful in a world like this.

I let my mind wander as the two of them continued their word dance. Making sure that the contents of the can were really getting mixed up. A soda bomb has to be one of the easiest types of bombs to make, doesn't do any damage unless you put a really bad chemical into it though. But perfect for the type of fight that coming.

When Izaya pulled out his switchblade, besides Mikado I was the only one who noticed Anri's trembling. Unlike him though, I knew it was because of Saika. Not that she was afraid. Anri wasn't that type of girl. A parasite she may be, but at least she's a vampire instead of a leech. And then the delinquent came back with his friends, poor them, picking a fight that they will never be able to win.

People lose the ability to think rationally when they face fear, it doesn't just apply to humans. Everyone is scared of something, and that fear can make them act in a way they wouldn't normally. This was proven when one of the new comers attacked Shizuo with a plank of wood.

He went fling even father then Izaya did, stripped of everything but his underwear. Shizuo then proceeded to attack any human within his reach, the other delinquents. Izaya took two steps back, as I picked up the shaken can. Who should I spray with this? There are so many options. That's when he noticed that I was standing behind him this entire time. Not that he reacted, he started to run away and Shizuo lifted a silver machine off of the ground. Simon jumped from the top story to catch the machine, all like the anime.

Shizuo had taken care of all of the delinquents by himself, and I really wanted to spray someone. So without thinking of the consequences I threw the can right at Izaya's retreating figure, snapping a picture with my cell phone as he fell covered in brown liquid. I ran all the way home, barely containing my giggles.

-Later that night-

_Kanra: The Dollars?_

_Kanra: Yes, I know the gang._

_Tanaka Taro: What sort of people are in it?_

_Kanra: The Dollars are amazing!_

_Kanra: I heard they're getting involved with the Chinese Mafia_

_Kanra: And the stabbing of that Yakuza guy was also supposedly perpetrated by The Dollars._

It was unsurprisingly easy to hack into the chat room Izaya hosted, I spent longer trying to find the sight then I did hacking into it. Currently the mastermind was pretending to be a female user, Kanra. He was talking Tanaka Taro, otherwise known as Ryugamine Mikado.

So far the two haven't written anything supersizing yet, just gossip. If I wanted to I could just join the chat room, but that would get me to much attention. The only way that I new member could sign in this chat room, was with the permission of an existing member. I could always hack into it, but I didn't want Izaya to start researching me just yet. So I settled for just being able to read the chat logs, unless he was really through Izaya would never realize that someone was watching these hidden conversations.

* * *

_Kanra: Apparently._

_Tanaka Taro: No, that's not it._

_Tanaka Taro: I just happened to see the fight, but those guys are just Dollars impostors._

_Kanra: I'm not talking about that~_

_Kanra: Recently, a bunch of people calling themselves "The Dollars" have been mugging people on the streets… …_

_Tanaka Taro: Eh?_

_Kanra: They're scary, they're terrible, those Dollars._

_Kanra: Be careful~_

_Tanaka Taro: … … Thanks._

_Kanra: They sure are scary…_

_Kanra: Those Dollars._

* * *

There's such a thing as over performance, I thought standing up. Thirsty I left what I came to know as my room, and headed for the kitchen. My dad was staying out late again, leaving me alone with my mom. She had the early sift and always went to bed early. I got a cup of Hot Chocolate, my favorite drink, before heading back up to my room to continue to read through the live feed chat log.

* * *

_Tanaka Taro: I'm serous Kanra-san!_

_Kanra: I bet you just ran away though~ _

_Kanra: Right?_

_Tanaka Taro: If you were faced with a similar situation, you would run away to._

_Kanra: Bull's-eye~_

_Kanra: Would you believe me if I told you that I was there too._

_Tanaka Taro: Really? Then we could of seen each other._

The conversation had moved to the incident earlier today. When Shizuo and the fake Dollars fought. Izaya knew who 'Tanaka Taro' was in real life, but Mikado had no idea who 'Kanra' was. Furthermore neither of them knew I was watching. It really was interesting.

_Kanra: Maybe~_

_Tanaka Taro: So did you really run away?_

_Kanra: Yeah, but before I did…_

_Kanra: I saw something really weird_

_Tanaka Taro: What was it?_

_Kanra: The informant broker, Orihara Izaya…_

_Tanaka Taro: What about Orihara-san_

_Kanra: A power puff girl in a high school uniform threw an exploding bomb at him~_

* * *

At that sentence I nearly spit out my Hot Chocolate in a fit of laughter. What would I give to hear Izaya that say that in real life with a straight face? It's just too hilarious, to think about. By the time I settled into my bed, I was still laughing at the thought of saying a power puff threw a bomb at him.

* * *

**Rio: That still makes me laugh * giggles ***

**FWG:Yeah, Rio please stop laughing. Your getting Hot Chocolate over my computer.**

**Rio: Sorry, it's just that... Power puff girl * snickers * bomb *giggles***

**FWG: Please review before I decided to kill off the main character.**

**Rio: Author-chan, you shouldn't joke like that **


	4. Chapter 3- Karma of The Liquid Forces

**FWG: I own nothing... Yes that includes Rio too. Throughout this chapter I've placed hints about where 'Rio' comes from. The first person to guess it before next chapter gets their own OC featured in my story. I'll tell you right now that it is an anime. Good guessing...~**

* * *

"Nasujima-sensei, are you sexually harassing her?!" Kida really did know no bounds, to be able to yell that in the halls. "Jeez, making our glasses wearing class rep scream? Isn't that full on sexual harassment? Or is it more sexy embarrassment?"

I leaned against the wall next to the classroom door as Kida peered out into the hallway, seeing the pervert teacher trying to pressure Anri into letting him walk her home.

When Kida left to approach the two of them, I moved to lean outside the doorframe. Right after the pervert teacher passed me, he tripped on a bunch of cleaning supplies.

As he crashed loudly into the ground, I walked over to where Kida and Anri stood. "Anri-san you shouldn't let him walk over you like that, if he thinks he can get away with it things will just get worse."

She was going to find that much out later, so there wasn't a reason for me not to tell her now. Anri stared at me coldly before nodding, "I know that… But…"

"No, but's! You have to take charge of your own life." That's what I did and now look at me… Maybe that's not the best example in the world. "Kida-kun? Kamichika-san? And Sonohara-san too?" Mikado showed up right on time.

* * *

"You don't have to worry about Izaya, you know," I told Kida as he paid for the four ice cream cones. The two of us where elected to get them while Anri and Mikado waited on the other side of the park.

"What are talking about Rio-chan? Why would I be worried about Izaya-san?" Back to using '-san' then, I thought staring at him. I accepted Anri's vanilla cone and my chocolate and vanilla swirl from the vendor.

"You know him too, so you should know that Izaya isn't the type to be humiliated without any payback." Oh, I just got a really good idea for a game. Every time I lie, I'll lick the ice cream in my cone. If Kida can figure it out before I finish my cone, then I'll refund him for all for ice cream cones.

"If you knew that, then why did you do it," he asked me, slowing down his pace so it would take longer to reach the other two. Kida didn't want either of them involved with anything to do with Izaya. He should have realized yesterday that Izaya had already put Mikado in his sights. But he doesn't want to believe it, that his friend from the country side who only arrived in Tokyo a few days ago has already done something to get the attention of Izaya.

"Originally the can was in case those gang members came back." The truth so I don't have to lick, "I thought it would be a good distraction so that we could run away." Lie, I just wanted to see their reactions to being sprayed with a soda can. I licked the vanilla side of the ice cream.

"I just didn't think Shizuo-san would show up," Another lie, another lick. "It would have been a waste just to do nothing with the can and I wanted to get payback on Izaya too." I really didn't have any hard feelings about what Izaya did to me, in fact I was grateful for it.

By being kidnapped, rescued, and then having Izaya confront me about it, I realized that I couldn't just hide my real character forever. Besides I have done worse things back before I became Kamichika Rio.

"So you threw the can, at Izaya." He muttered, "Still haven't you thought about what he's going to do in retaliation, have you?"

"Weren't you the one to say that his expression was priceless, Kida-kun?" I stopped walking and turned towards him. "Besides I can handle anything that guy throws at me. If I survived ounce, I can do it again" Truth, I'm a mastermind in my own right. Izaya doesn't even realize the extent of my deception, if he does at all.

"Do you even know who you're dealing with?!" His voice cracked. I sighed, this really was a lot for him. Is what Izaya did to him, that big of a deal? Even if I know the story behind it, I still don't know what the full effect that it had on Kida's mind.

"True, I have no idea how far Izaya's reach goes to, but it's the same for him. He has no idea what I'm capable of." Lie, I know that Izaya has enough influence over the yazuka, that stupid pharmaceutical company, the police, and many more people.

He's the type of person who has his hand's in a little bit a everything. If he wanted to, it would be a simple thing to take me out right now. I knew this, and understood it. But I also knew that he wasn't just going to kill someone off who did something interesting.

He's going to go back over everything he knows about me, searching for another thing that he could use to get me back into his grasp. Then after he sees enough to satisfy his curiosity, he'll discard me. Like a used tissue, and then promptly forget about my entire existence.

I knew this because I was the same type of person as him, I've similar if not worse things. The main difference between us, were our goals. He wanted to reach some perfect heaven, and I wanted live forever. Even if was in name only, I wanted to make sure that no one forgets who I am. Where I go after I die doesn't matter, no that wrong. I've ready died once. This could be considered my heaven… Or my hell.

Kida didn't say anything until we reached the others, he still didn't want me to get further involved with Izaya but realized that I had no control on whether Izaya approached me again or not.

"Sorry for the wait." He finally spoke when we reached the other two. Anri was sitting on one of the toy bouncing things and Mikado leaned against another one next to it.

I walked over to Anri and gave her cone and then I walked around and sat on the same on that Anri was on. Leaning against the head of the toy animal, my legs hanged from the opposite side that Anri sat on. Kida did a similar thing on the toy that Mikado was leaning on.

"But still, you should be more careful." He was acting like the conversation between the two of us never happened. "Most of the rumors about Nasujima are just that, but it's true that he's laid his hands on a student."

"Eh," Mikado turned to look at his friend who sat behind him. "A second-year student named Neikawa Haruna transferred out during second term." Kida answered Mikado's silent question.

"Apparently the reason was because people found out she was dating Nasujima."

"Really?"

"No one knows whether she wanted to transfer, whether Nasujima threatened her into it, or if the school forced her."

Kida turned towards Anri, he was ignoring me, "Anyways, if something happens to you Mikado and I will do something to about it. Right Mikado?"

Mikado glanced in my direction before nodding, "Um… Yeah." He's noticed that Kida is purposely leaving me out of the conversation.

Hmm… If Kida is serious about ignoring me, then maybe I should just leave. I could see if I could go find one of the other characters. What else is supposed to happen today? I think Erika and Yumasaki torture that human trafficking guy in the van. It's worth seeing, but I wouldn't be able to resist joining in with them. That would give me away as someone who is not normal to them, which would be a bad thing.

Hmmm, what else… Everything happens so fast I can't remember. No it isn't that I can't remember it's just that I can't remember what event happened when. Sometimes having this memory is a bad thing. Everything just gets so jumbled.

I could always just do some research. I still haven't looked into the possibly that the world where I came from is represented by a piece of fiction here. If there was then I might be able to see one of my old friends. I might find the reason why I'm living in Kamichika Rio's body.

Celty's shadows had something to do with it, I knew that much. But that couldn't have been the only reason, no there had to be something on my end too. If I could somehow find the fictional representation of that world, a way to look in how it works, I would be that much closer to finding my answer.

The question was, where do I start. Just because this world is depicted by light novels, manga, songs, and anime, doesn't mean that the world where I came from is too. I looked to the sky, the blue sky decorated with the clouds, the storms, the rain, the mist, the lightning, and the sun.

Re-chan ounce said that I was like the sky. He told me that I had limitless capabilities. I was on my way to visit him, when I woke up in Rio's body. How did he react when I never showed up?

"Kamichika-san, are you all right?" Mikado broke me out of my inner thoughts. "What? Why do you ask that?" I put a fake cheery smile on my face and turned to look at the three teenagers.

Mikado had a concerned expression he stood directly next to me. Anri stood farther away. Her eyes contained an unusual amount of emotion for her, that is. Kida stood next to the other bouncing toy. He also had a worried expression.

The three of them shared a look, "Your ice cream…" Anri pointed to my cone. Looking down I saw that my cone was dripping on my skirt. "Eh…! My Mom's going to kill me when she finds out!"

I jumped off the toy and drop my cone, and tried to wipe the ice cream off my skirt. "Kamichika-san?" Mikado anime sweat-dropped at my reaction. "Not 'Kamichika-san', Mikado! Didn't you hear me? If my Mom finds out I ruined my uniform the early in the year, I'm dead. There are still so many things that I have to do in life…"

"Rio-chan calm down, your Mom never needs to find out that you ruined you precious school uniform." Kida spoke out. "Wha…?" I looked up at him, a trail of anime tear on my face, "What do you mean Kida-kun?"

He sighed, "All you have to do is call her and tell her you plan on staying overnight at a friends. Closer bonding and all of that." He explained like it was the most obvious thing. "Being the only member of your class I would gladly of-"

"Anri-san, can I spend the house at your house tonight." I asked the only female of the group before Kida could finish his sentence. "Please, if I go with Kida-kun, he might molest me." I said this with a joking tone.

"Eh, Kida-kun would never do that." Mikado looked shocked, "Yeah, I'm not a molester Rio-chan. It hurts me to know that you think that way of me."

Overdramatic much, I rolled my eyes. "Maybe not, but I would feel a lot safer if I was spending the night at a female's house instead of a male's. You never know when a guy gets the wrong idea after all. There's too many sicko's in this world."

Kida seemed stumped at this, and didn't bother to make a counter argument. Mikado was to embarrassed to say anything, that poor innocent kid…

"Well, Anri-san? Can I stay over? Or not?" I grabbed both of her hands with mine and made direct eye contact. If she said no, I would just go with Mikado. At least he wouldn't try anything.

I mean when Harima Mika was at his house he didn't do anything then… Eh, so that's it. Erika and Yumasaki tortured the guy yesterday not today! Today is when Celty sees Harima and chases her right into Mikado. And he takes Harima back to his apartment.

See, I remembered it right after all. I knew that I could do it.

"Eh, well…" Anri avoided my eye contact, "I… I really don't have any room for you… So…" Your apartment is even bigger than Mikado's, I thought slyly.

"Fine then," I gave a soft sigh dropped her hands and turned toward the two boys. "Mi-ka-do-kun," I whined slowly as I approached him, "Would you mind if I spent the night at your house? Please!"

"Eh! Well… I only have a one-room apartment… Sorry," He apologized with a bow of his head. "That's okay," I turned to look at Kida, "How about you, Kida-kun? Do you have enough room at your place for a stray?"

If he said no I was going to have face my Mom, the thought did scare me. Me someone who's trained under hit man, whose made a living off of hacking into the biggest secrets of the world, scared of a house wife from Japan.

The me from the past would never be terrified of a housewife. But if I've come to see that housewife more as a mother than my birth mother.

"What sort of gentlemen would I be, if I ignore a lady in need?" He said bowing. He took my hand in his and kissed it like a knight would a lady in medieval times.

* * *

I followed a few meters behind Mikado and Kida, we had waved good-bye to Anri a few minutes ago. I was unable to hear their conversation, but I noticed that Kida glanced at every Yellow Scarves member that we passed.

He was worried that one of them was going to recognize him as the former leader of the gang. This scene, it wasn't in the novels. I don't think it was in the manga either, for that matter. That means I'm following the anime. That makes things even more complicated.

The anime only showed the first year of the series, at least the others went passed that. I sighed at this revelation. That just means that there's more surprise in it for me. An evil smile made it's way to my face as I thought about this.

I followed Kida silently, passed the fountain, the hospital, eventually we arrived at Russian Sushi. Somewhere along the line I tied my jacket along my waist in order to hide the stain.

Kida and me settled down in one of the private rooms with Kadota and his gang. Everyone had their own tray of sushi in front of them. "Can you please tell me about The Dollars?"

I sat between Erica and Yumasaki, on one of the corner spots at the table. Kida sat on the other side of Yumasaki and Kadota sat across from Kida. The owner of the van they used (I forget his name) sat in-between Kadota and Erica.

"My friend's thinking of joining them, but I want to stop him." Kida spoke in a serious tone, gone was the over done way of expressing himself. Kadota raised his tea to his lips and then asked, "Why're you asking us?"

I could've sworn that his shifted his gaze towards me when he said that. He wanted to know why I was here too. It figures to them, I'm nothing more than a bystander. Someone that they would rather not be involved with the underside of the world. If only they knew that I was born in the dark, and only by some coincidence was I given the chance to live in the light.

"Well, I can't ask anyone else." Kida.

"You wouldn't want to talk to Orihara Izaya, anyways." Erica.

"It's not like we know that much about The Dollars. But I'll tell you everything that we do know." Like how every person in the room besides Kida-kun is a member of The Dollars.

* * *

I understand that Kida cares about Mikado, really I do. No wait I don't, I loved being a part of the dark side of the world and I hated leaving it behind when I became Rio. How can he even want to leave that life behind, it's impossible for me to understand that.

He doesn't want Mikado involved with the dark side of the world. Kida already knows that when (not if, when) Mikado finally gets involved with the side of the world that Kida is trying to painstaking evade, that he will change.

A change from the country innocent boy, to something more sinister. This change was the last thing that Kida wished for his best friend. He had already decided that he was going to do everything in his power to stop the change in his friend.

It was to bad that Izaya had already made it his personal mission to turn Mikado toward the dark side of the world. There was that Aoba kid too, and he actually succeeds at turning Mikado too.

Of course it costs him a hole in his hand, but that was only a minor thing. Both Aoba and Izaya got their wish, they turned Mikado into a 'bad guy'. Hmm… What should I do.

Help Kida 'save' Mikado, or help Izaya and Aoba 'turn' him. I don't really care, which one wins. Personally I really liked the dark Mikado. But now that I've met the good Mikado, he's just so much fun to tease…

I sighed inwardly, I guess I could just watch on the sidelines. If someone wants my option I'll give. Not that I can guarantee that it'll be the truth. Just live one day at a time, that's always been my life's motto. Why change it now?

Ah, sorry I got lost in thought again. I really have to fix that problem. Not today though, it can wait.

So here Kida and me were, backed into an alley way by Yellow Square members, they didn't even recognize their first boss. It's all Kida's fault, he saw some of the Pharmaceutical companies men 'chasing' Mikado down the street.

I knew that they were really following Harima and Seji, who Mikado was also following. In Kida's rush to go and help out his friend, he bumped right into new members of his old gang.

Hahahaha, and guess what? They led us straight into an alleyway, funny right? Well, actually it kind of was… After all, Celty, the pervert teacher, and the teacher's own stalker were also at the other end of the alley. Mikado should be on his way too.

Yeah, this is going to be interesting. Just hold in your emotions Rio, I don't need Kida thinking that I'm a physcopaths or anything… Even if I am one.

One of the gang members held my arm in his grasp. Kida's back leaned against the wall. What would they do if I twisted his arm? It would be so easy… No, this body doesn't have the training to be able to twist an arm.

"Kida-kun!" Mikado's shout broke me out of my _cough_ murderous _cough_ thoughts. He seems to be doing quiet a lot of that, breaking me out of my thoughts. Maybe he has the ability to stop my mind from wandering off topic!

The other's must have heard something else, because they (including Mikado) turned back to where Mikado just entered from. I saw the pervert teacher running towards the main streets.

Taking that as my cue, I stomp on my capture shin and then kneed him in the penis. At the same time Mikado and Kida had began running to the streets. I followed quickly after them. I was a little over halfway there when I felt it.

A gush of wind and bloodlust combined. The source was right behind me, in the alley I just left. I probably shouldn't have, even my intuition told that it was a bad idea, but that didn't stop me from turning to see it.

It looked like a black shadow. A female with long hair, that swung in the air as she turned to look at me. Her eyes glowed red, crazed with bloodlust. She had a knife in her hand it was stained with blood. The three gang members from before were passed out on the ground, each of them wounded by her.

"Saika..."

The possessed girl grinned and jumped at me. She was fast, a normal person would never be able to keep up. I'm thankful that I was never a normal person.

I dodged her first attack and jumped several feet away from her. The original Saika could produced a blade from any part of her body, but this was just one of Saika's daughters. She shouldn't have that ability, but I could never be to careful.

I wouldn't be able to outrun her, and I couldn't risk touching her either. Maybe I could distract her, something long enough to let me run away. But what?

Saika love's humans to the point of possessing them.

The human that she loves the most is Shizuo and she hates Izaya.

She rejects everything that isn't human…

Celty isn't human. That doesn't help me at all right now…

"Or not… Am I right, you're only a copy of the original Saika… One of her daughters."

She lunged for me again, but I just continued dodging. Not letting myself getting cut even once by her sword. One hit mean game over.

"Now, now… No need to get so mad about it. After all, isn't it the truth?"

"_Lies! I am Saika! You have no proof otherwise!" _She hissed out and aimed for me again.

I jumped out of the way, and landed on a soda can, slipping and falling to the ground. Saika's daughter didn't hesitate she swung at me again. This time it was impossible for me to avoid the hit I was in mid-air. Falling, I smirked. It looks like this is game over for me then.

It was at that time something unbelievable happened to me. For the third time in my life I felt and saw the shadows around me move. A black scythe was in front of me, blocking Saika's daughters attack. Two arms in back leather were around me, holding onto the scythe. I could feel the cold female body behind me.

"Courier-san, you saved me again?" For the third time my life was saved by Celty, I really need to be more careful from now on. Those were my last thoughts as the shadow's completely invaded my vision.

This feeling, what is it. Why does it feel so familiar? Ah, that's right, it's the same as that time… "Re-chan… Forgive me…" I closed my eyes letting the memory resurface in mind, wanting to be completely amused in it. Wanting nothing more than to go back to before I became Kamichika Rio.

* * *

Time seemed to stand still for me. She was about to deliver the package that I got back from the thief, but something felt wrong. I was hesitant about checking it out, what if the thing that stabbed me earlier was still out there?

But something told the headless female that if I didn't go and check it out I would regret it later. So I checked out the alley, just a few meters away from where that thing attacked me.

Shivers ran down her spine as she thought about how her wound started talking, it called me a monster! It had to be an alien. That was what I thought. The black alien was there, just like I had thought, but I was surprised to see it fighting someone. A teenage girl to be precise

It wasn't much of a fight though, the alien was trying to cut the girl who was avoiding her. The two of them moved back and forth in the alley at a speed that a normal person would be able to follow. They aren't human… Was my first thought upon seeing this scene.

The alien aimed a slice at the girl's cheek she barely missed. If the girl was even a second slower, she would be missing an eye. This isn't a normal fight, it's a fight to the death between two monsters. This thought made me want to leave the scene as fast as she could.

"Now, now… No need to get so mad about it. After all, isn't it the truth?" The girl taunted the alien, before I could gain the courage to leave. I realized then that I recognized this girl.

It was just a few day ago, Orihara Izaya had requested that I rescue this girl from a gang of kidnappers and bring her to a desolate building. That was supposed to be the end of the job, but I stayed.

The girl was different than most, I already knew that. Over ten years ago I had saved her from an oncoming truck, when the four year old ran out into traffic chasing a cat. Years later the same girl now a young woman, asked to see if I really was headless. Unlike most people who find out that I really walked around without a head, the girl didn't react.

Something about the girl was different, that was why I didn't leave when her job was finished. I never did trust Izaya, if he wasn't Shinra's friend who knows what I would do to the informant.

Whatever I thought would happen, I didn't think that the nameless girl would jump off the building. When i had asked her she did something so foolish, her reply had been 'To prove that you're a good person.'

I knew that, that wasn't the only reason, she could 'see' the lie in the girl. But at the same time I knew that she genially thought that I would be waiting for her to come out, safe and sound.

"_Lies! I am Saika! You have no proof otherwise!" _The voice came out of the alien's mouth. It was the same one as the one from my wound_._

The unnamed girl jumped away from another onslaught of attacks, only to land on a soda can. She slipped and fell to the ground, as the alien aimed one last slash at the girl. This time she wouldn't be able to avoid it…

I reacted on instinct, she moved from her spot at the edge of the alleyway, to right behind the girl. The knife in the alien's hands classed with my shadow scythe. Sparks of shadow flied to and from the scythe, but neither party planed on giving up.

"Courier-san, you saved me again?" the relief was evident in the young girls voice. She really thought that she was going to die. The alien's body was tense, her deep red eye's locked on to the girl in my arms.

"Re-chan…" She whispered, "Forgive me…" and then the girl's eyes closed, as she fe

"_Monster!"_ The thing yelled out before running away, at what I assumed to be the fastest that she could run. Confused I 'looked' down at her. At first I didn't realize what had startled the alien, but after a few minutes I figured out what had sent the alien running away.

The girl in my arms was creating a black shadow. My black shadow! The same one that I produce from my body in order to sense things. How did this girl make one?

I thought that only a durahan could make one… I continued to stare at the sleeping girl as the shadows around her started to disperse. Soon there wasn't any trace of the shadows on her.

Not knowing what else to do I decided to take her back to the apartment I shared with Shinra.

* * *

**Rio: ...**

**FWG: Well, what to you think?**

**Rio: ... I fainted...**

**FWG: Actually you passed out.**

**Rio: Does that really matter? The point is I fell asleep, right after I lost fight too...**

**Celty: Don't worry... I don't know your name yet... But don't worry, I'll take you to Shinra! He'll know what to do!**

**FWG: Celty, how did you get in here?**

**Celty: I was worried about her. So I followed her here...**

**Rio: You didn't need to do that, I can take care of myself. I was able to hold my own against Saika's daughter!**

**FWG: Didn't you lose that fight... If you can't remember we can always watch the flashback.**

**Rio: No thank you, I'm going to have a flash back next chapter about how I became Rio.**

**FWG: Is it that obvious?**

**Celty: What are you two talking about?**

**FWG: Eh, nothing really... Just spoilers...**


	5. Chapter 4- A Bit of Backstory

FWG: I'm sorry that I took so long it's just that I was having trouble with the beginning (and ending) of this chapter. In order to make it up to you, I have put a surprise at the end of this chapter~

I don't own Durarara!

* * *

I'm a sympathetic person, right? So then what did I do to have to suffer a fate as cruel as this? Let me clarify for those who don't follow me, I want to know why I have to suffer reliving my past. Technically, I'm not reliving it, but you get my point. I put my past behind me ages ago, it has no right to try and interfere with my currant life.

I sat cross-legged on one of the metal computer desks that where in my old office, watching as a younger version of myself spun around in her chair. I won't lie to you, I had all but forgotten what I used to look like. Appearance is something trivial to me. I had curly red hair that was held back by an orange headband. Huge light brown eyes that looked innocent and pure. I used to be so small, petite, like a doll. My old skin was pale from days of being coped up in dark computer rooms. The younger me was laughing with an insane grin on her face that distorted her otherwise innocent features. She was wearing overalls that went to her mid thigh over an orange t-shirt that had frills on the sleeves and knee-high black and orange striped socks.

She was still spinning around in the computer chair when a series of knocks came from the door. "Ashley? Can I come in?" A male voice asked from the other side of the door. Ashley? That was my name, wasn't it, but that isn't who I am now. I'm someone else. Not Ashley, and I'm not Kamichika Rio either. So who am I? What is my role? I'm a completely different sort of existence from both of those two, because I have the experience from both. Hmm…. Maybe reviewing my past isn't such a bad thing after all.

Ashley's grin widen, "Sure, sure Cain-kun~." When the male opened the door and stepped foot into the room, she dimmed her grin down into a faint smile. Cain, I thought, he used to be my second hand. Or something similar, kind of like how Namine is going to be for Izaya, I suppose. I used to trust him, he was one of the few people that actually trusted. In the end that trust was a mistake. The room was to dark for me to see him, but Ashley could se him perfectly. I know because I remember, or at least I recall a memory.

"What's up?" Ashley asked him, spinning in her chair again. "The APN is waiting for its answer. Will you accept their request to join their members?" I could hear the faint sound of annoyance coming from Cain as he spoke. "Oh, they still think that I'll accept their offer," Ashley said with a giggle, she stopped spinning her chair so that the back was towards Cain. "I have to wonder why they are so persistent in getting my help."

Although I don't remember much about my past as Ashley, I remembered this scene; it was the last time that I saw Cain before I died. Just thinking about it made my stomach turned on its side and not a lot of things can do that. "You have quite the reputation, Ashley, that alone is more than enough for the Alliance to be after you. When you compare that to your track record, it's no wonder that they wish for you to side with them in this up and coming war."

"War?" She asked him, Cain didn't catch the fake curiosity that laced her voice. "Yes, the Alliance of Peaceful Nations plans to go to war with all of the Mafia organizations in the world." Humans can be really despicable sometimes, calling themselves the Alliance of Peaceful Nations when they plan to go to war with people like the Mafia. It's like they wish to start a third world war.

"I see, and how do you know this," Ashley asked even though she already knew the answer. "Their representative told me when he was waiting to meet with you." Cain said through a blush. A lie, I bet, they probably only told him after he joined their cause. "Hmmm, maybe I should have met with the representative after all," Ashley mumbled in a low tone, so that it seemed like Cain wasn't supposed to hear it. "I've decided, before I sign on with the APN, I want to meet with a member."

"You do?" Cain was surprised that his 'boss' agreed to it so easily, "I'll go tell them, then." He ran out of the room like an excited school boy. After Cain left, Ashley wasted no time, she quickly turned on all of the monitors in the room and pressed the buttons on her keyboard at an amassing speed. If I didn't already know what was on the monitors, I would have been confused. The monitors listed all information that I had gathered in my life, all of the data that I've acclimated, all of the experiments that I've tried and some that I have not. The monitors flashed with all of this information, before Ashley deleted them from the hard-drive. The only monitor not changing was a small one off to the side that listed all of the known members of the APN. Cain was on that list.

"Really, Cain-kun you should have known better than to leave such an obvious trail behind you," Ashley spoke to herself when she pressed the enter key, "It was a peace of cake for me to find out that you had already signed into the APN against my wishes." A thing about me that you might not know, when somebody allies with me I expect them to stay on my side until the end. So at that time it was a massive blow to find put that Cain ad betrayed me.

The screens went dark, indicating that the memory was completely wiped with the virus that Ashley had just uploaded to its system. Nodding at her good work, she jumped off her chair and walked towards the cabinet underneath the center monitor. She opened the door pausing when a small white bunny came out of her shirt and crawled to her shoulder. "Rabbi," I said recognizing the bunny. Rabbi was my old pet bunny that Re-chan gave to me on my nineteenth birthday.

"Shh, don't make too much noise," Ashley looked down at her pet, "We can't have Cain knowing what we're up to." Even without being able to see her, I knew what Ashley was doing as she crouched in the cabinet. She pulled a pendent shaped flash drive that was in the computer, that she stored in the cabinet. She put the pendent over her head, so that it rested comfortably on her neck. Then she closed the cabinet door and started crawling through the cabinet until she reached a ventilation shaft. When she got there, she would unhook the door and slide into the shaft. A few minutes later Ashley will pop up in the alleyway next to the building, retrieve her two bags that she'd hidden before hand and proceed to the airport to catch a flight to Japan.

I was going to follow them, but the now familiar black shadows had started to shallow me again. "What is it this time?" I asked before the shadows became blinding to me.

* * *

When I came to, I was in the driveway of a mansion. I stood next to a black limo, as I watched the newest scene unfold. A younger version of Ashley, she was about ten this time, clung to her mother's legs with desperation, next to her was a pink and orange duffle bag that was nearly three times her size. "Now Ashley, why don't you greet our hosts," her mother said sternly. My mother, technically. When was it that I stopped seeing her as my mother? her long blonde haired was full of soft curls and her blue eyes sparkled with an unknown gleam.

"But, Momma…" Ashley whined, tears brimmed her eyes. One look from her mother silenced her, "My name's Ashley, it's a pleasure to meet you." I forgot that used to be really innocent, that was before I met Re-chan. Speaking of Re-chan, I smirked and tilted my head, so I could see the hosts that her mother had mention. There were two of them. The first was a young woman who was about the same age as Ashley's mother and the second was a pre-teen boy who had a scowl on hic face.

"It's okay, Bella, I remember when my Re-chan was like that. Always clinging on to me, I almost miss it." The young woman said smiling. Bella, short for Isabella, that was Ashley's, my, mother's name. Isabella Verbeck. I remember asking her about her name ounce and she said that she was a descendant from a German noble family. "Mother, I was never a wimpy kid," the pre-teen boy scowled at Ashley, who just hide to hide further behind her mother. "Re-chan, I forgot how cute you were as a kid. If the older you heard me saying that he would kill me," I said happily, this memory wasn't so bad.

"Oh, Re-chan." His mother sang out happily and started to run her fingers through his hair, "That isn't nice." Re-chan's nice! Always one hundred percent of the time! He's always nice. It's just really hard to see it sometimes. I glared at his mother. "Mother," Re-chan seethed but made no move to stop his mother, "don't you have something to do?"

"He's right, Eleanor. If we continue talking here we'll completely miss the meeting." Ashley's mother said moving away from my younger self.

"Oh, that's right! Re-chan, be a dear and look after Ashley while we're in our meeting," Re-chan's mother called out to her son before disappearing into the building with Ashley's mother. Re-chan glared at Ashley, upset because he knew that he didn't have any other choice but to look after her. His mother would kill him if he disobeyed her, I knew because he told a few years after we first met.

"Re-chan?" Ashley tilted her head, inclining if that was his name or not. "My name is Reborn. Got that? Only Mother calls me 'Re-chan'." He shivered when he said my nickname for him. "Ah, I see." She nodded like she understood, "but why?"

"Why what?" He asked walking away from her. She had to run just to keep up, pulling her humongous bag behind her. I followed after the two of them at my own pace. "Why, 'chan'? Thaat's Japaneese, right? But you are Itaalian and so is your Momma." Re-chan glanced back towards Ashley, his thoughts were unreadable, to the younger me.

"Ah, soory. Daadi says that I should waatch what I say…" unconfident the younger me looked away from Re-chan. As a kid I was insecure about my speech problems., since my father had always punished me whenever I said something wrong and my mother had wanted me to talk like a lady. He's about to say it, I laughed knowing what was going to happen next. "Your Dad is an idiot." Re-chan said hesitantly, "There's nothing wrong with the way that you talk."

I could faintly see the look on Ashley's face, before the shadows covered my vision again.

* * *

I was standing on the main square of Ikebukuro, in the middle of the crowd of people that were rushing from one place or another minding their own business. On the other side of the crowd I saw the twenty-six year version of Ashley making her way through the crowd.

A strange feeling welled up in my chest, it was bittersweet, as I watched the younger version of my self walk straight into her death. A part of me, it was a very small part, wanted to look away, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't give this chance up, a chance to see my death in a new light. My gaze only traveled away from Ashley, when I saw someone that I recognized in the crowd. Kida, with dark brown hair, was telling a playful joke to a blushing Mikado. Yumasaki was handing out fliers for a convention on the side of the street. Kadota was talking to Shizuo by an alleyway. There was even a Rio, who was walking towards Ashley…

Wait a minute, Rio… I started running through the crowd so I could get a better view of Ashley and the girl who I thought was Rio.

Yeah, that was Rio, a slightly older version of her, but Rio none-the-less. Her hair was the same dark color of brown, but she left it down in contrast to other ways that I've held it in the past. She had caramel streaks in her hair, that highlighted it's natural shape. Her caramel colored eyes narrowed at a text message on her pink phone. She was wearing a black mini-dress that clung to her mature figure under a hot pink coat that reminded me of the white coat that I wore when I met with Izaya and black heels. She seemed about ten years older, than the Rio that I knew and acted as.

Curious about what the alternate version of Rio was doing, I looked over her shoulder to see who she was texting, to my dismay the screen was blank. So I can only see things that I was already aware of from my actual experience. This whole thing was just a recreation of my memories, obviously something that I couldn't recreate wouldn't be shown here. There's no way that I could've done this myself, and I don't think that Celty did it either… It could be just a natural reaction to me being around Celty and Saika's daughter. But the cause could be something else entirely.

I stopped walking then, my eyes watched as my final moments unfolded. There was nothing that I could do to stop it, even if I wanted to.

Ashley and Rio bumped into each other, they both paused for a moment, but Rio was the only one to look at the other. Celty's shadows from the Durarara world started to enclose Rio, when a signal gunshot resounded in the busy streets. I had heard the sound when I was still Ashley, and had always assumed that I was shot. But I was wrong.

Rio landed on the ground with a thud, dead, with a bullet hole in her forehead. The shadows hesitated for a second before they encompassed the closest person to Rio, me- well Ashley. My past body hit the ground as the sniper fired a second shot, but the cause was Celty's shadows not a bullet. "Wha-" my call of surprise was muffed as the

* * *

I was back in the old office again, the door hanged open from when Cain ran out of the room earlier. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the younger me shutting the cabinet door. These things didn't register in my mind, because sitting in the chair with a soft smile was Kamichika Rio.

"Your…" I stated moving closer to her, "Kamichika Rio?" There isn't a lot of things that can make me confused, but seeing the girl who I replaced when she was a kid sitting in my old chair as a teen made my head start to spin. "You can call me Rio, Ashley-chan," She tilted her head to the side with a smile. "That's not my name, at least not anymore." I shook my head, but made sure never to look away from her.

"So you've began to doubt yourself," Rio said sadly, "It's your own fault, you know, the uncertain feeling that you have." I nodded, knowing what she was saying. "If you hadn't spent so much time trying to be me, you might still be able to call yourself by your name…"

"My name is of no importance, compared to me _actually _meeting you." Changing the topic I looked away from her, "Wouldn't you rather talk about that?" Sarcasm dipped my voice as I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my uniform. Rio was silent for a moment, searching for the right words that she wanted to use. "This may be the first time that you've met me, but I've known you ever since the accident."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, my mind was aware of everything that you were doing," she explained with a wave of her hand.

"So you've been reading my mind for the past ten years," I suggested darkly. Rio was about to retort but she bit that back, and nodded. "Then you should know me, as well as I know you."

"You don't know me," Rio said flatly, glaring at me. "Now, now we both know that that's not true. I managed to act just like you for ten years, that wasn't just dumb luck you know." I waved my hand through the air to create imaginary swirls around us. She looked away from me bitterly, causing me to smirk. "But by being exposed to your mind for ten years, I've changed from that girl. I'm not the Rio who jumped from that roof."

That was unexpected, I honestly didn't think that Rio would bring up my influence over her. "Ah, so you admit that if it was you who had control and didn't know me, you would have jump anyways." Rio's face told me that I had won that match, but this was far from over with.

"You really are just like him," She laughed. It was a quick change from the look she had seconds ago. "No, that's wrong, you only act similar, but in reality the two of you are as different as night and day." What was she going on about now? "Hmmm," I turned away from her, and casted her a sideways glance, "What was that? I didn't quiet hear you."

"That's because you weren't supposed to," she paused, "But on the other hand…" She was quiet for another few minutes before she spoke up again, "I mean Orihara Izaya." I blinked in her direction, prompting her to say more. "You and Orihara-san act in a similar matter, at first I thought that you two were the same type of person. But now I think that I was wrong, you only act like each other but in the inside the two of you are completely different."

"And what makes you think that," I asked interested on her theory. It was just that, a theory, unless she could back it up.

"Orihara-san grew up in a normal household, there was nothing special about either of his parents. And you never really lived a normal life until you started acting as me, I don't think I need to tell you how your parents weren't normal. Because of his normal upbringing, Orihara-san could never even act like he was normal. While you managed to pull off acting like you were just an everyday girl for ten years. Because although you say that you hate the normal you really wish that you could act just like everyone else, but because of your bringing it's impossible… Orihara-san loves humans, and he messes with their heads in order to see their genuine reactions, even if he can predict them to near perfection. You on the other hand… Deep in your heart you hate- no it's more like you utterly despise human life."

I stared at her, surprised that she knew me that well, too bad she got the most basic thing wrong. "Actually I have nothing wrong with life, it's the human heart that I can't stand." I only told her, to see what she would do with this new information. "The human heart?" She asked, apparently she was out of ideas. That's too bad, it wasn't everyday that someone reveals the deepest part of my heart and mind. The person's whose done that before was Re-chan…

"Yep~ The human heart is truly a marvelous creation. It's capable of both great good and evil. Sadly there is more evil than good in the world, and that evil comes from the human heart. There aren't that many people left who have a good heart, they may think that they do, but given the chance, the option, they would chose evil over good. You've seen it yourself, right? When another person sacrifices someone else for their own needs?"

I nodded happily when Rio had a flashed of recognition on her face, "You see what I mean right. Izaya loves the darkness of human nature, that's because of his normal upbringing. Meanwhile that darkness was a major part of my childhood, I witnessed it nearly every day at such an impressionable age," I let out a bitter laugh, "That's why I do what I do, you see. All my experiments are on human nature. How far will a person go? What does it take for someone to realize? Is this person really good or evil? Izaya does the thing that he does because he loves to see the purest emotions in a raw state, he doesn't care about the people themselves. I do the things that I do in order to see the very basis of a person, what makes them human, and what makes them tick. It's impossible for me to remember everyone, but I try to keep detailed records, because it's the people who are at the heart of my… experiments."

Rio had an understanding face, she get what I meant, but she didn't agree with my solution. "So," I said with a smirk, " don't you have something that you want to ask me?"

* * *

I woke up on a futon in a dark room, "Where am I?" I asked myself sitting up. Curious I looked around the room, observing it. There wasn't that much in the room, in fact it seemed bare. The black futon that I sat on, had a black pillow, and a dark grey blanket. There was a black dresser and a black computer desk with a black chair. It was really black.

I was wearing the Raira school uniform and knee high socks, and my hair was down. Again I asked myself, "Where am I?" but no answer came.

Unsure, I slowly rose to my feet. I stood there at the foot of the futon, with my legs wobbling. I took a step towards the door, and fell back onto the futon with a thud. "Ow…" I mumbled rubbing my sore back, "I forgot how hard that was. She always made it seem so easy." I sighed, "But then again Ashley-chan is different from most people."

I giggled at what her reaction would be to me calling her that. She really doesn't like being seen with that name anymore. I wonder where is she, if she was watching me from the corner's of my mind like I had done to her or if she could finally go back to her original body and live out the rest of her life. I wish I could ask her, but that's impossible.

"Hey, Celty! She's up!" I heard a male call from the hallway. "Who-" I asked before the door burst open.

* * *

FWG: Well? Is the surprise good enough? Originally I was going to wait until after the Sakia incident to bring the REAL Rio back, but this was just to good an opportunity to pass up. The majority of this chapter was an insight to Ashley/Rio's past and why is she is who she is. Now the question is, should I bring Ashley back, or not? I already know what will happen either way, and it will be a major change to the plot. So shall I bring her back, or not, please tell me your opinion in a review~


	6. Chapter 5- Another Meeting

FWG: If I owned Durarara! Rio would play a bigger part

* * *

I sat on the couch, cuddling a mug hot chocolate close to me, watching Celty Sturluson and Kishitani Shinra. I knew both of them from the anime that Ashley watched when she was still in her body. While she was in control of my body, I was able to both watch what she was doing and look into her past memories. Ashley never met with Kishitani-san, but I knew that she's already talked to Celty. Plus they introduced themselves after I woke up, I told them my name too.

It was… Interesting to watch the two of them, different from all of the couples that I've seen before. Even the couples in Ashley's memory didn't act like this. They were arguing about what they should do with me, Celty wanted to contact my parents but Shinra wanted to make sure that I was at one hundred percent health first.

It was awkward for me, because I've never met a stranger who showed that they cared so much for my well being, and here were two of them. Sure nearly everyone that I met as a kid was polite, but this and that are two different things. I don't know how to explain it, but I knew that the care that Celty and Kishitani-san felt for me was different. I wonder if I would feel the same way if Ashley never took control of my body, but then if she didn't then I would never be sitting here.

Because I would never ask to see the infamous Headless Riders face.

I would never jump of a building on a slim chance.

I would never try and become friends with someone like Kida Masomi.

I would never throw a rigged soda can at Orihara Izaya.

I would never argue with Kida-san about my motives.

I would never challenge the Slasher.

Yes, the me that Ashley knew never would have done any of those things. But the currant me, the me who watched as Ashley played my life out exactly as I would have done. I would have done nearly the exact same thing. I wouldn't have done it for the reasons that Ashley did, but if I am truthful then I know that I what I would have done.

I wasn't like Ashley, or Orihara-san, I didn't want to see the expression that people make or prove the nature of their existence. I just… It just that by watching Ashley both in the past and the present, I saw a truth that I never would have seen otherwise. A truth that I wouldn't have wanted to see, but one that I needed to see. I saw just how many secrets exist, and how they affect the lives of everyone, not just the people who keep the secrets. I know that it's wrong to pry into the secrets of other, that I should be happy with my normal life, but I already got one look at what life would be like if I could feel the taste of adventure, if I could look into others secrets.

It's like Ashley corrupted me, and I corrupted her in turn. I can't go back to how things used to be or how they should be, but then what can I do now? Even Ashley didn't know what she was going to do, the woman who was always thinking of a plan.

I managed to take a sip of the hot chocolate that Celty gave to me after I woke up. I forgot how vivid everything is when you're living your life. It was different, just watching Ashley act everything out. I even had trouble walking when I first woke up, I was like a new born baby. No words can express my embarrassment when Celty carried me into the living room.

"Um," I interrupted their argument, "How many days have I been out?" I asked them and in a second the arguing couple had transformed into dotting parents. 'It's been a day, since you collapsed,' despite the fact that I couldn't hear her voice, I knew that she meant it in a concerned way. "Really? That long…" I thought that it would take longer for me to wake up, I mean it took Ashley a full week to wake up after she took control.

"I should call my parents and let them know that I'm all right." Not that it will really matter if I don't, if I've only been gone a day then I doubt that either of them have noticed my absence. The only problem is the school, they've have had to notice that I missed class today. After I call home I better go to school and see if I can straighten this out, so that they don't call home.

* * *

I was right my mother had no idea that I was missing, and it was easy for me to get Celty to take me to the school. She was going to go there anyways in order to look for someone. Although she didn't say who she was looking for, I had a feeling that it was important. I didn't pry though, Celty has been to kind to me, for me to stick my nose into her business.

"Thank you, Celty." I bowed getting off the motorcycle. 'I already told you that it wasn't that big of a deal, I was heading this way anyways…' It would never cease to amaze me how fast she could type on her PDA it was unbelievable. "Still, I would feel guilty if I didn't thank you first." I walked towards the school.

Luckily school wasn't out yet, I would have enough time to get to the teacher's office and explain my absence to them. Wait, I can't tell them the truth, they would never believe me. What do I tell them? Come on, I have to tell them something, or else they're going to call my parents. What was it that Ashley, always said, a good liar hides the truth in their lies… That actually might work.

I searched my memory for my shoe locker. Where was it again? That's right it's in the third row from the top on the left most side by the entrance. As calm as I possibly could, I started towards my locker. Without thinking much about it I opened the locker that I knew was mine, and then a piece of paper fell out of it. I looked at the discarded paper that laid on the floor curiously before bending down to pick it up. I gently unfolded the paper and read it. The message was written in bold hiragana that anyone could read.

_Dear Kamichika Rio-san, I know all about Ashley and your secret. If you don't want this information to be revealed to any concerning parties come to location described in the letter underneath your shoes. – Sia_

* * *

I bowed to my teacher one more time, thanking him for letting my absence slide. I told him that I was attacked by Saika when I was heading home and was hiding out at a friends house, because I was scared that Saika would try and attack me again since I got away and that I didn't want to involve my parents so I didn't tell them where I was.

Luckily my teacher didn't try and find anything else out and excused me for the two days that I missed.

As I walked down the hallway, I ignored the looks that I was getting. I must look like a mess, I thought running a hand through my tangled hair. I haven't showered since before school three days ago, I haven't brushed my hair since then either. The stain from the ice cream is still on my uniform, not to mention I'm still having trouble walking.

"Kamichika-san! Wa- Wait up!" I turned when I realized that someone was calling to me. How long has it been since someone has called me by my name? The person who was calling out to me was Ryugamine Mikado, one of the characters in the anime that Ashley watched and one of her 'friends'. I didn't think that Ashley had any friends, she never let herself get close to anyone. One of the few people she allowed close to her heart, betrayed her, in such a cruel way too.

"Ah- Mikado-san," I bowed towards him, "Did you need me?" I asked him innocently. I was itching to meet the mysterious Sia, sent me the note proclaiming the he knew who Ashley was and how we were connected. "No, it's just that you disappeared after that… Kida-kun told me not to worry, that you probably changed your mind and went home. But then you didn't show up for school yesterday! I was really worried about you, Kamichika-san, so I asked around…"

"You didn't tell my parents, did you?" I asked him abruptly, there was no way that they would buy the story that I told my teacher, even if it's the truth. I couldn't let them find out.

"No, um, I just told my online friends," Mikado-san said hesitantly. His online friends? I don't think that either of my parents use the computer all that often, so they shouldn't know. "Good," I mumbled in relief. "Um… Kamichika-san. Do you not get along with your parents?" Mikado-san asked me, he looked down at the floor, away from me. "No, not at all!" I said a little louder than I intended, "It's just that I don't want them to worry about me. That's all!"

"Worry about you? But Kamichika-san, they must know that you didn't come to school yesterday!" Mikado had a genially concerned look on his face. "No, not really. The only time my family is together is for dinner, and I already made sure that the school didn't tell them that I was absent." I spent so long watching Ashley live out my life, I forgot what it feels like to have someone concerned for me. Since she never accepted any form of concern from anyone.

"Isn't that…" Mikado-san said softly, "Isn't that sad, though?" He looked away from me. "I suppose that it is," I turned away from him. I never really thought about the state of my family before, but Mikado's right, the way that my family acts is really sad. "Did you want anything else?"

"Ah… No," He said, "Ah- Kamichika-san, are you going somewhere?" He called out to me when I turned away from him. "Yeah." I put my hand in my pocket, to make sure that the note from Sia was still there, "I'm meeting someone." I turned back to glance at him. "Yoho, Rio-chan skipped school for two days and now she has a date." A new voice said jumping up behind me. I felt the newcomer put a hand around my shoulders in a nonchalant manner. I gave the him a glance, Masomi Kida, he was Mikado-san's best friend. "It isn't like that, Kida-kun." I told him sharply.

"Then what is it like?" Kida-kun asked in a sing song voice. "Ah…" What should I tell him? "That is…" I looked away from his prying eyes uncomfortably. I couldn't tell him the truth. That I was being blackmailed by one of my few secrets. "Kida-kun. If she doesn't want to tell you then she doesn't have to!" Mikado-san said filled of confidence.

"Says the guy who brought a chick home with him last night," Kida-kun voice was laced with fake scorn. Mikado-san brought a girl to his home last night… Why does that seem eerily familiar? Wait…. It couldn't be! My eyes widen when I realized why Celty was waiting at the school entrance. She was looking for Mikado! "Aha, I have to go." I told the two of them quickly and started to walk away quickly.

Now wasn't the time to get involved with them, I had to settle my own problems.

* * *

I walked through Raira's school entrance with confidence, the school uniform that I wore blended in with the crowd. For the first time in a long time, I was glad that I looked young. If I looked like my actual age, they would never let me in the building even if I wore the uniform. Well if I did look my actual age, I would just dress as a teacher instead. Either way I would get into the building, so it didn't matter.

Still, it's been awhile since I've been here. Raira Academy. I was only a student for a few days, but those few days were very important to me. After all if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be standing here.

It's funny how things just travel around in a circle. A vicious never-ending circle. That's how I ended up back here, after all, despite how long it's been. After all that changed, everything is still the same.

I've seemed to have gotten side-tracked, that happens way to often. I really need to fix that bad habit. Or I could just leave it the way that it is… Oh well, I'll deal with it later. That's right, for now I have to deal with Rio-chan. If everything went the way that it was supposed to then she should already be back in her body.

I moved a piece of the black wig that I wore out of my face when I entered the actual school building. Let's see where was Rio-chan's locker, again? I asked myself even though I could clearly recall where her locker was.

Smiling I walked over to where her locker was, I opened the door and took out the letter I addressed to her. I put the actual letter underneath her shoes and the blackmail paper in-between her shoes and the locker door, so that when she opened it, the letter would fall. I smiled to myself at my genius plan, why didn't I think of this earlier.

I wonder what Rio-chan is going to think when she see's the note. Despite myself, I laughed. Ignoring the looks from the Raira students, I left the building and soon left the school property.

Now what? Rio-chan won't get my message for a while, so I don't have to go to the meeting place yet. On second thought, I still have to unpack, so I should probably go straight to the apartment.

I sighed, maybe I should have moved yesterday. That would have been easier than waiting for today. Oh well, it can't be help either way.

I took the long way back to the apartment that I just started renting, planning were I was going to put what. Actually I didn't know why I even bothered, I didn't have that many things. Just a few stuff here and there.

As I was thinking about this I bumped into something hard, like a brick wall. I looked up to see a blonde man in a bartender's uniform. Heiwajima Shizuo.

Dumbfounded I blinked at him, this was my second time seeing the renowned man, but it was my first time seeing him up close. "Ah~" I stepped away from him and bowed, "Sorry, I didn't see you there." Why was I acting polite? Even if I was rude he wouldn't recognize me. A black wig, a bit of makeup, and glasses do that to a person. Not to mention that I was wearing a school uniform that belongs to a school that I no longer went to. Even if I pissed him off, he wouldn't be able to locate me later.

So why was I being polite? Hmmm. No, no. You can't get distracted here, remember, you have to go meet Rio-chan. I scolded myself for almost drifting out into my thoughts again.

I was about to move away him, when he grabbed my arm stopping all of my thoughts. "Huh?" I turned back to give Shizuo a questioning stare through my fake glasses. For a moment I thought that Shizuo had figured out that I wasn't just a normal person and was prepared to start running for my life. Then… "Shouldn't you be in school?" He asked and I sighed in relief. So he didn't realize after all.

"Ara, I forgot my bag at my house. Sir," I looked away from him like a shy school girl, hoping that he would buy my act, "I was on my way to get it when I bumped into you." Please let him buy this, Kami-sama, I promise to you I'll start acting like a better person. Wait, who am I kidding, it's impossible for me to act like a better person. That would mean that I wouldn't be able to have anymore fun. Another second went by and Shizuo let go of my arm with a dissatisfied grunt and was on his way.

I don't know if I'm really lucky or really unlucky, I thought making my way through the crowd. Though, that does just make everything funner. I giggled at this thought and sped up my pace. I had to get to the apartment before Rio-chan after all.

* * *

I waited for the end of the day, before I headed to the place where my blackmailer wanted to meet. I left the school before Mikado-san or Kida-kun could find and intercept me. I didn't see Celty when I left the school either, but I felt like someone was watching me.

I ignored the feeling and continued to follow the directions that were left for me, this until I came to my destination. The meeting place was a series of small apartments, some of them looked fairly new and modern, others looked completely rundown. "Let's see, apartment number thirty-two 'B'." That was the final sentence on my note. That was where I was going to meet the person who said that they knew about Ashley. Sia, whoever that was.

I felt my stomach tie itself into a knot as I neared the door to the apartment. Despite this I knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked on it again. Still no answer. "Um," I looked left and right confused, "Excuse me. It's Kamichika Rio, um… Is anyone there!?" I called out nervously. No answer. Was I at the wrong place? Or was the note a fake? No I followed the directions perfectly and there was no way that this was a simple prank. Ashley's name was mentioned specifically.

I sighed and stubbornly, in a last ditch effort, turned the handle on the door. I never expected that to actually work, but the thing is. It did.

The door opened. It actually opened. I can't believe that, that actually worked. That this door is unlocked. I blinked at it, not believing my eyes. What sort of person would leave door unlocked in the middle of the city? The person who plans on blackmailing me, that's who. Feeling that I had no choice in the matter, I entered the apartment.

It was a normal, modern apartment. Wooden floors, cramped halls, and white walls. Overall there was neither nothing notable or special about it, but still I looked around like it was the most exotic place that I have ever been to.

Noticing that there was an extra pair of slippers laid out at the entrance, I took my outside shoes off and put them on after I closed the door. Then I followed the cramped hall further into the apartment. I don't know how long I inspected that apartment, until I finally came a cross a shut door at the very end of the apartment.

With little hesitation I opened the door, to reveal a bedroom. Or at least that was what it was supposed to be. Two large desks were along the walls perpendicular to the door that I entered through. The wall on the right had a bed attached halfway up the wall. Two beanbag chairs sat along the far wall with an ottoman between them. A large black leather chair sat in the very middle of the room, turned away from me. There were two other doors in the room besides the one that I used to enter.

"What?" Despite the normalcy of the rest of the apartment this room was not normal, by any circumstances. I walked nearly halfway around the room when I heard the laughter. High pitched laughter that was both eerie creepy and so familiar. "Who?" I asked turning around to face that laughter.

"Geez, Rio-chan. What's with the one worded questions? I would think that you knew better than to ask such simple questions." Sitting in the black chair was a young woman with deep red hair and light brown eyes was a young woman who I thought that I was never going to see again.

"Ashley?"

* * *

FWG: So I brought Ashley back anyways, after I posted the last chapter I thought about and decided that I couldn't abandoned her. Ashley was one of the very first OCs that I've created and she's also one of my favorite because she's so much fun to write. Plus I didn't want to come up with another OC with a complex background to take her place.

If you don't review I'l sick Ashley and all of her craziness on you~


End file.
